The Coast Guard Reserve Component has released the Reserve Component Action Plan (RCAP). Developed by Rear Adm. Miriam L. Lafferty, director of the Coast Guard Reserve, this plan is unifying and enduring to inspire and challenge our leaders to invest in the Reserve as a force-multiplier of capabilities across all Coast Guard operational mission programs.   The RCAP has three overarching goals.  

1. It aims to modernize reserve recruiting, talent management, and benefits. The plan lays the groundwork for the Reserve Component to identify barriers to entry and develop policies to make it easier to join the Coast Guard Reserve. The RCAP prioritizes Reserve benefits parity with their active duty counterparts. Reservists will see improved benefits, and the Reserve Component will be better positioned to retain members thinking of leaving active duty.  
2. The RCAP will maximize reserve capabilities by aligning capacity and skills within the Reserve’s six missions. Ultimately, identifying mission priorities and aligning the competencies for those missions to position assigned competencies will allow leadership to prioritize goals, skill development, and training for the most urgent missions. It will also modernize the way the Reserve is mobilized to respond to emergencies. 
3. The plan seeks to enhance Reserve flexibility and resilience. As demands increase on reservists, the workforce’s adaptability is critical to its success. Reserve leadership will strengthen existing support structures to make sure personal, professional, and training needs are met. This includes enhancing service delivery to the field and improving training support. 

The RCAP will help ensure the Coast Guard Reserve’s readiness to build capabilities and better integrate with other services and partners. A ready Reserve is the foundation of a ready Coast Guard. 

Original source can be found here.